The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is now accepting applications in eligible counties for the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) to provide financial assistance to eligible livestock producers for 2023 grazing losses due to a qualifying drought. The deadline to apply is Jan. 30, 2024.
To date, 20 Georgia counties have met the drought severity levels that trigger LFP eligibility for the 2023 program year. The counties that are now eligible are Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Dade, Dawson, Decatur, Early, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Lumpkin, Miller, Murray, Pickens, Seminole, Union, Walker and Whitfield. For LFP, qualifying drought triggers are determined using the U.S. Drought Monitor. Visit the FSA LFP webpage (https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/disaster-assistance-program/livestock-forage/index) for a list of eligible counties and grazing crops.
“The severe and extreme drought conditions in our state have had a damaging impact on many livestock operations,” said Arthur Tripp, state executive director for FSA in Georgia. “Livestock producers in the 20 eligible Georgia counties are highly encouraged to contact their local USDA service center to learn more about this critical drought recovery assistance.”
LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses for covered livestock and who are also producers of grazed forage crop acreage of native and improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover or acreage planted specifically for grazing. Grazing losses must occur on land physically located in a county experiencing a qualifying drought during the normal grazing period for the county.
Eligible livestock include alpacas, beef cattle, buffalo/bison, beefalo, dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, ostrich, reindeer or sheep that have been or would have been grazing the eligible grazing land or pastureland during the normal grazing period.
To expedite the application process, producers are encouraged to gather and submit records documenting 2023 losses. Supporting documents may include information related to grazing leases, contract grower agreements and more.
LFP is part of a broader suite of disaster assistance available through the USDA. For more information about FSA’s full suite of disaster recovery options, producers can visit farmers.gov, where the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet and Loan Assistance Tool can help you determine program or loan options. Producers can also contact their local USDA service center (https://www.farmers.gov/working-with-us/service-center-locator) to file a Notice of Loss and learn more about programs fitting their operational needs.